#1Famous people · Grand Rapids
48 famous people from Grand Rapids, many of them performers
The best known is the American actor Taylor Lautner, with articles in 114 languages. Anthony Kiedis, the American musician, comes second, with Roger Bruce Chaffee third. The oldest name on the list belongs to Harry Spanjer, born in 1873, the newest to Donavan Brazier, born in 1997. Between 1920 and 1969, 22 were born, the most of any period.
Born here
48
notable people
Best known
Taylor Lautner
in 114 Wikipedia languages
First
1873
Harry Spanjer
Youngest
1997
Donavan Brazier
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
19 people
Also called it home
3
notable residents
What stands out about Grand Rapids’ famous people
Known worldwideTaylor Lautner has a Wikipedia article in 114 languages.A town of performers19 of the 48 people born here are performers, 4.2× the usual share.Still making namesBirths since 1950 number 27, the most recent in 1997.A chosen home3 more notable people chose to live here, Victor Amaya among them.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Grand Rapids
Languages with an article: 114 for Taylor Lautner, 61 for Anthony Kiedis, 46 for Roger Bruce Chaffee.
#1
#2
#3Military
Roger Bruce Chaffee
1935–1967United States Navy commander, NASA astronaut
46 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What Grand Rapids is known for
Compared with the usual town, performers are the most over-represented field, at 4.2 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Grand Rapids’s famous people were born
The 1960s saw the most births of any decade: 10.
Film, TV & StageSportsMusicNotableFaithPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsMilitaryScience & MedicineBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Grand Rapids
Still to come: 45 more, from 1873 to 1997.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Grand Rapids home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Grand Rapids, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Grand Rapids?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The fullest list close by belongs to East Grand Rapids, with 2.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Grand Rapids and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.
Photo credits (23)
- Taylor Lautner: [2], CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Anthony Kiedis: Hel Davies from United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Roger Bruce Chaffee: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Devin Booker: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Richter: Ryan Schreiber, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack R. Lousma: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Kaman: Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Walter Hauser: KMcWrestling Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Elizabeth Wilson: Alansafe5, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Justin Amash: U.S. House Office of Photography, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Monté Morris: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard DeVos: 350z33, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Arthur Vandenberg: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Kirkwood: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Konnor: Miguel Discart, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Phillips Holmes: Clarence Sinclair Bull (MGM), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Lee: Richard Norris, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lorna Gray: Employee(s) of Republic Pictures, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Matt Keeslar: https://www.flickr.com/people/vagueonthehow/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ray Teal: Film screenshot (Paramount Pictures), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Shawn Christian: jfer21 at https://www.flickr.com/photos/jfer21/, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jim Boylen: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Colin P. Campbell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons